While thrift shopping (or ukay) hasn’t been easily accessible for the last few months, the Internet has its gems hidden beneath hashtags and shopping haul vlogs.
But first, what is reworked clothing? Simply put, it is redesigning old clothes or fabrics by sewing them into something new. Type in reworked on your search engine and there are tons of DIY videos on TikTok and YouTube on how to get started on deconstructing your next outfits. A newfound hobby to consider perhaps? If you’re in dire need of breathing new life into your old garms (in a sustainable way, of course), then look no further than these fresh local brands.
Related: Make The Planet Great Again: Demanding Sustainability in Fashion
FIFI’S VINTAGE
Fifi’s Vintage reminds us of Cady Heron’s wardrobe in Mean Girls, except it’s set in the tropics. A lover of slow fashion, their notable pieces are button-downs turned loungewear and old pajama sets reworked into stylish coordinates. Oh, and they have bucket hats, too.
PSYCHED PH
If you’re into cut-outs, corsets, and everything cropped, Psyched PH definitely has a lot to offer. They even customized Nadine Lustre’s opening look in her visual album and one of the outfits from her birthday shoot with BJ Pascual.
PRO.JECT PH
They might be a fairly new brand, but their swoosh tops made from ribbed socks and reverse-stitched patchwork pieces are slowly becoming must-haves for the season.
LISE LABORATORY
This local brand has been recently noticed by Complex and we can’t blame them. LISE Laboratory is a Baguio-based brand that deconstructs designer fabrics and puts its own stamp into each creation. No wonder they’ve gained a following from all over the world, especially in the streetwear community.
BY HANNAH B
Don’t you just love it when brands get creative? Even better when they show you other ways to wear their reworked pieces. They also make sure that no fabric goes to waste by trying to create more than one design cut from the same material. Ethical fashion all the way!
STRONG VILLAGE
Strong Village’s deconstructed garments have been on the runway before the pandemic began, even landing a feature on MEGA Man. The clothes are all patched up fabrics from old jeans, button downs, and linen shirts.
ANTONINA
In case you’re wondering, the fringed jacket that our cover star Yanyan de Jesus wore on the cover was actually upcycled. It was made out of table runners from the designer’s lola, fiber fills, gems, and ropes that were carefully quilted. One of our favorites is from Antonina’s previous collection in Bench, an oversized jacket made out of wheatflour sacks.
